$3500 to spend on laptop for college

[xcountryrower]

A couple of days ago, the engineering department of the school i'm going to finally posted the minimum specs of the lappy im gonna need. The specs are on here:

http://www.eng.vt.edu/academics/comp_require.php

Pls recommend a really good pc for me. I am looking to do some moderate gaming (HL2, Battlefield, Battlefield 2?, Rome: Total War, D3...). Pls, don't just limit this to thinkpads, as good as they might be. I am also thinking about upgrading the hard drive and memory and such after i get it (new seagates and more ram).

[a31pguy]

Best
1. Thinkpad T43p
2. Alienware Area-51m 7700

Acceptable
3. Sager
4. HP
5. Toshiba
6. Fujitsu

All above have great products and ironclad warranties.

DO NOT BUY

Dell
Sony

Terrible reliability and substandard service and support.


Good luck in Blacksburg! Beat UVA!

[pphilipko]

look on the thinkpads.com page and find a T43p that you like. Then, just purchase from Bill, as there is no sales tax...

[redsb3]

Why not buy a T42P and save a bundle, use some of that money towards something else.

[xcountryrower]

I would go for a T42, but this laptop is going to have to last me throughout the 4 years that I'm in college. Redsb3, how does that FireGL T2 handle apps? Do you play any games with it?

[dash7540]

Yeah $3500 is an extravagant amount of money for a notebook. Of course if money's no object then I say get a T43p. The Alienware is also nice, but I think a ThinkPad will last longer as it is more rugged.

In regards to the FireGL T2's performance, it's very similar to that of the Radeon 9600.

Half-Life 2 runs fairly well, on 800x600 with medium quality you should average 60fps. You can play around with the settings to find your preference for quality/performance.

Doom 3 on 800x600 with low or medium quality runs at about 25fps. Barely playable in my opinion.

[K. Eng]

xcountryrower,

I'd advise spending no more than $2000 on a notebook. IMO your best option would be to spend $1500-2000 on a midrange ThinkPad with a 3-year warranty and either pocket the change or use some of it to build a really powerful desktop.

[a31pguy]

AGP graphics cards in laptops are soon to be low to midrange graphics. If your a gamer - the PCI-E graphics cards like X800 (ATi) are going to be more high end.

Reference this comparison:

http://www.rojakpot.com/default.aspx?lo ... =98&var2=0


The comparison is ATI (PCI-E) X800 vs ATi (AGP) FireGL T2 is 28.8 Gb vs 6.4 Gb memory bandwidth.

[Bob Collins]

Holy moly, things have changed since I went to Auburn (Auburn Alabama for Architecture) a computer for gaming too. That $$$$ would have paid a full year of tuition for me!

I have supported Dells and IBMs, Stick with the previous mentions of IBM and Alienwares among others, but do make sure to keep a safe (read huge) distance from Dells.

[AlphaKilo470]

It's odd, extremely odd, almost as odd as the stench inside most of the MARTA subway cars, but it seems that however bad the luck everyone here has had with Dell's, I've had that much good luck. I've used more Dells than one could shake a stik at, but I've still yet to have one break under my hands. I've even used a few Lattitudes that type nicely.

Well, that aside, I guess avoid Dells unless you're me because I seem to be the only one on this forum with that luck.

I'd either go for an Alienware because those things are known to have really good graphics or I'd go for a T42p.

[K. Eng]

As far as I know, Alienware machines are merely generic ODM machines with a nice paint job. Most of their units look like rebranded Sagers.

I have supported Dells and IBMs, Stick with the previous mentions of IBM and Alienwares among others, but do make sure to keep a safe (read huge) distance from Dells.

[a31pguy]

As far as I know, Alienware machines are merely generic ODM machines with a nice paint job. Most of their units look like rebranded Sagers.

I have supported Dells and IBMs, Stick with the previous mentions of IBM and Alienwares among others, but do make sure to keep a safe (read huge) distance from Dells.

Yes - that's my sense too - that the Area-51 7700 is a rebranded Sager. Sager supplies machines to a lot of companies. But I would buy Alienware for the warranty as well since you could buy a sager or clone without a warranty cheaper - but have no service if something breaks. Something ALWAYS breaks.

[xcountryrower]

Thanks for the replies. The reason that I can sling that kinda cash is that out the 10g's that school is gonna cost me a year, bout 7g's is payed for with scholarships. Talked to bill and seriously looking at T43P.

[a31pguy]

Thanks for the replies. The reason that I can sling that kinda cash is that out the 10g's that school is gonna cost me a year, bout 7g's is payed for with scholarships. Talked to bill and seriously looking at T43P.

Good Choice - no sense in being "hokie" about the laptop you will need to do all of those assignments on! Now go figure out that National Space Plane thingy!

[d lehmann]

In reference to Alienware:
As far as I know Sager does supply Alienware for their laptops. Additionally, very powerfull laptops can be had from Sager, but they usually fall under the catagory of desktop replacements and are targeted at serious gamers. Portable, but not in a practical sense with poor battery life.
In reference to Alienware waranty:
First hand experience with their waranty was dismal, 2 months to replace a motherboard, (it seemed they were waiting to receive a refurbish to exchange). The ploy was downright cheesy. The customer even offered to deliver and pickup (only lives 30 miles from Alienware) I have read many similar reports. I'm sure ibm would have replaced it with a current revision board immediately.

IMO, I would not even consider another brand of laptop, at any price. IBM = happy customers. Perhaps not perfect but leaps and bounds above the competition.
4 years is eternity for computers, perhaps consider going for a $2000.00 tp as others have suggested, then reselling in a couple of years (tp have good resale value) and upgrading to a current model, still possibly within your total budget.

[AlphaKilo470]

Well, given the requirements and the fact that you want IBM, I'd either buy a T42p or wait until IBM releases some newer T43's and T43p's with better graphics.

[liquidicecube]

This is an enormous sum to spend, but just for kicks, take a look at this:
http://www.dynamism.com/y2/index.shtml

You get a 14" SXGA+ screen with built-in optical and 7.5 hr battery all at 3.3 lbs...I can't comment on the quality of the machine as I've never come in contact with one, but it just seems stunning. ($3700)

They also have the W4 which has a 12" XGA screen, 8hr battery, optical, all at 2.6 lbs.

[xcountryrower]

Well, given the requirements and the fact that you want IBM, I'd either buy a T42p or wait until IBM releases some newer T43's and T43p's with better graphics.

You said that the T43's are coming out with better graphics? What kind of upgrades are we talking about? Can anyone show me some benchmarks for the V3200. I can't seem to find any, only the V5000. Thanks.

[a31pguy]

http://www.ati.com/products/workstation ... atrix.html
http://www.ati.com/products/mobile.html


regarding updates to the T43 and T43p see - X300 becomes X600 (currently released but on backorder):

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=10739

Seems like ATI Mobility FireGL V3200 Video Card uses the ATI Radeon X600 Pro Core.

If you get the T43p 2668-H2U listed on bills site - you will be getting the TOP of the line that IBM currently makes. The graphics card is PCI-E hovering around the 12.8GB/sec range. The Pentium M 755 chipset running at 2.1 is roughly equivalent to a Pentium 4 Desktop CPU running at 3.2 to 3.4 Ghz.

[SeanM]

Be SURE to get the extended warranty and insurance, since you should have the $ for it. No sense having it break down in your 4th year of college and you can't afford to fix it, or accidentally breaking the screen and being forced to come up with $$$$$$$$$$$$ to repair it.

[xcountryrower]

I'm looking at the 2668-G7U which should provide me with everything that I need to take over the world. How does Bill work the warranty. And exactly what happens once I pay him? He orders from IBM and then he ships to me...? But since I'm doin the whole engineering thing, I figure something like the 3200 would be good for pushing pixels around.

[a31pguy]

I'm looking at the 2668-G7U which should provide me with everything that I need to take over the world. How does Bill work the warranty. And exactly what happens once I pay him? He orders from IBM and then he ships to me...? But since I'm doin the whole engineering thing, I figure something like the 3200 would be good for pushing pixels around.

You should have a IBM warranty three years from date. They track it by your machine type and serial number (and an IBM serail number tatoo on your neck :p )

if you seem some dude playing counter-strike: source with a handle like "smooth_criminal" take it easy on him - he's an old fart with ancient hardware.

[mattfromomaha]

As a graduating college senior, I feel the need to comment on your plan to have one laptop for four years of college. Personally, I say, "Don't do it."

I strongly urge you to consider a $1,500-$2,000 laptop now that is "middle of the road" and "good enough to handle the applications you need." Then, two years down the line, reward yourself with a new $1,500-$2,000 laptop.

I bought a Compaq Presario at the end of my junior year of high school. Paid a lot of money for it (this was 6 years ago). Then, at the end of my sophomore year of college, when the laptop was at the ripe old age of three, it was an outdated POS. So, I replaced the Compaq with a ThinkPad T30. Spent about $2,500 on it, plus another couple hundred maxing out the memory.

In both cases I bought the absolute most laptop I could possibly afford, figuring it would need to last me 3-4 years.

Now, don't get me wrong: I love my T30. It's a very solid computer. Well built, plenty fast for me, does everything I want or need it to.

However, gosh, I do like that smaller form factor of the T42. And the longer battery life. And it weighs less. Etc. Etc.

So, here's my bottom line: Yes, you can spend $3,500 on a laptop that will probably get you through 4 years of college. You can buy the absolute best ThinkPad out there, add on ThinkPad protection and an extended warranty (and make sure to add this to your parent's homeowner's insurance!). ...OR... You can spend about $2,000 on a pretty good laptop now, use it for two years, E-Bay it for a few hundred, and then spend another $2,000 on a new laptop. You can't predict what exactly $2,000 will buy you in two years, but you can certainly be sure it will be far more computer (and lighter, longer battery life, etc) that what even $3,500 buys you today.

Now, I know you will need a pretty cabable machine because of what you want to do with it (engineering programs vs. Word and Outlook-type stuff), but give this some thought. I wish I had, and this is my plan from now on: Buy "decent" rather than "amazing," and trade up twice as often.

So, I'll get off my soapbox now. Best of luck on finding your laptop and in school!

[Ted_E]

In reference to Alienware:
...
4 years is eternity for computers, perhaps consider going for a $2000.00 tp as others have suggested, then reselling in a couple of years (tp have good resale value) and upgrading to a current model, still possibly within your total budget.

VERY good point! OP may also want to consider a refurb. I see T42's ranging from $1385 to $2969 at
<
http://www-132.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/store ... Id=2576396
>
Waranty is still 1 year. One of the ones listed is $1484, 1.8GHz, 6oGB HD, 15"screen. That would leave enough of $2K for a multi-burner plus to give you on board CD/DVD burning capability and a spare battery for thos long days.

Does Bill handle any refurbs?

[a31pguy]

Yes that is a very good point - I purchased mine as a refurb with an IBM extended warranty. Like buying a high end car - it's cheaper in the long run to buy slightly used and get the warranty than buy new and have it depreciate. Only problem is - you often don't get the latest in technology at the time of release.

[xcountryrower]

Thanks for the replies. I see your point about waiting a couple of years and then getting a new laptop, but come next summer I will be building myself a new desktop which will probably handle all of the really intense stuff that i'll be doin.

[Ted_E]

Yes that is a very good point - I purchased mine as a refurb with an IBM extended warranty. Like buying a high end car - it's cheaper in the long run to buy slightly used and get the warranty than buy new and have it depreciate. Only problem is - you often don't get the latest in technology at the time of release.

Since your sig says you are a consultant, it may well be that you need to have the latest from a buiness/customer impression point of vue but from a computational perspective, it may bring very little bang for the buck. Of course, it's always nice but ... In my case, at present, more than my T23 would provide little gain. I use almost no M$ software so suffer much less from bloatware. Almost all the time when I have to wait, it's for internet transfers. I'm not a gamer and most of my calculations are done in APL2 running on eCS 1.2. E.g. plotting 1000 points in the complex plane takes 0.16 seconds.

[gcchatel]

As a senior in computer science, I feel like i should weigh in. I also bought a very nice laptop as a freshman thinking that I would need it. The truth is that I did not need it until my junior year when I started doing some hardware intensive applications. Everything prior to that would have been fine on most mid range laptops such as a basic t42 or t43 right now.

For my senior year, I purchased the 2373-GVU which is a t42p. It has been wonderful and is exactly what I needed since I do both graphic work and hardware intensive work for school. So I would recommend you keeping some of that money till later and getting the top of the line laptop as a junior when you will really need it.

Of course, if someone had told me this as a freshman, I would have said too bad since I couldn't wait to get my hands on that top of the line laptop but just giving you my advice. Good luck!

[EatMorGlue]

I was a math major who used an Aptiva 2163-580 through all four years, and, similar to gcchatel, I never got into serious computing until my junior year; I think there's just a lot of general ed stuff to get out of the way before you start getting into the intense subject matter of the majors.

If it's not too late, which it probably is, save some of the money for beer and roadtrips. VaTech football kicks off in Raleigh this September.

[emorphien]

Compare your price with bill to the educational discount you should be able to get. Some places can get you outstanding edu discounts, and there will be at least a few good deals if not.